


With Our Friends (In This Circle We Form)

by SilverRose42



Series: One's For Sorrow, Two's For Joy (Count Your Crows) [2]
Category: Batgirl (Comics), Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics), Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Adopted Children, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Bat Brothers, Bat Family, Batfamily Feels, Bruce Wayne is a Good Dad, Crochet, F/F, Fabric Crafts, Gen, Gotham City Rouge Gallery, Knitting, M/M, No Lesbians Die, No editing we die like mne, Protective Bruce Wayne, Sibling Bonding, Siblings, Stitch 'n' Bitch, Textile Crafts, The Batkids love each other, batkids, overprotective dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-01
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2019-01-07 10:33:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12231105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverRose42/pseuds/SilverRose42
Summary: “Everyone can see that that kid's got League training,” Oswald said, shaking his head. “Seriously where did you find him? Hell itself?” He leans forward. “Did the Joker give him to you?”“A demon left him on the doorstep one day, because hell couldn't handle him,” Red Robin said dryly.OR: The one in which the Rouges start a Stitch 'n' Bitch, and then the Batkids invade it.





	With Our Friends (In This Circle We Form)

It starts, as these things do, with Harley. Harley had been knitting for ages, since before she became Harley Quinn, back when she was still Harleen Quinzel. The Iceberg Lounge was easily the safest place in Gotham when the Joker got loose. The first, last, and only time the Clown Prince of Crime had tried to invade the Lounge, Oswald Cobblepot himself had taken him out with his umbrella. The Joker, not keen to repeat the experience, tended to leave the Iceberg Lounge well enough alone whenever he got out.

So, Harley, when the Joker escaped, had Ivy take her to the Iceberg Lounge, her knitting in hand, to wait him out. Together, she and her girlfriend curled up in a back corner, ordering drinks, and generally worked in peace and safety (but not quiet, never quiet). It was only when the other Rouges joined them that things started getting weird.

~*~

The first person to join them is the Riddler. He settles in across from them both, his own craft bag, filled to the brim with embroidery floss at his side. Harley is well into a shawl for Ivy, and Ivy is mending part of Harley's costume, her stitches neat and tiny, unnoticeable unless you're really looking for them, but when Edward sits down, they both stop and stare at him.

“Watcha doing here Eddie?” Harley's the first to speak up.

Nygma pouts. “Oswald is busy. He said that I have to wait for him to finish, but it's boring in the back. So I was hoping that I'd been welcome over here, even if it is just work quietly.”

Harley glanced at Ivy, who shrugged, so Harley smiled. “Guess you're welcome to stay Eddie. What're you workin' on?”

“Baby blanket for my neighbour,” he said cheerfully. “Well, the second version of it. Batman sort of ruined the first.” He was working on a small rectangle, needle moving quickly enough.

“He bled on your blanket?” Ivy raised an eyebrow. “Typical.” It wasn't, actually. Normally the Bat was more careful than that.

“Nah,” Edward shook his head. “It fell off the chair I had put it on. He accidentally tracked mud on it. Apologised and bought me new embroidery floss though.” That actually explained the unusually large amount of embroidery floss that was in the bag. Everyone knew that the Bat was wealthy.

(The betting pool on how he got his money was enormous. And slightly ridiculous. It ranged anywhere from Batman being Lex Luthor to him being Donald Trump, to him actually sleeping with Bruce Wayne. When the batkids found out, there had been much giggling. No one had been able to get a straight answer out of any of them, so the betting pool continued on.)

“That was nice of him,” Ivy murmured, before glancing at Harley. “We've been thinking about making this a once-a-week thing. If you'd like to join us.” The grin she received was blinding.

~*~

It took another three weeks for someone else to make an appearance. Edward, Harley, and Ivy have all commandeered a table in the very back, with Oswald periodically checking in on is boyfriend and peers. Their meetings have become commonplace, so no one bats an eye at the three rouges stitching away in the back. That all changes when the Scarecrow stalks in, rips off his mask, drags a chair to the back, throws the bag he's carrying onto the floor, and throws himself down into his chair.

The other three stare at him. They glance down to his bag. It has Jack Skellington on it, and what looks like a half-finished shirt in it. They look back at him. He scowls back at the three of them, and pulls out the unfinished shirt, and a set of sewing needles. “I hate that brat,” he mutters, knotting his thread, and shoving the needle through the fabric in his hands.

“No you don't,” Edward says automatically, even as Ivy snorts and says “Which one?”

“ _Nightwing_ ,” Jon seethes.

Oswald, who had marched over as soon as he saw Jon, blinks. “Liar,” the Penguin says. “You love him. You think he's funny.”

There's silence at the table, before “Really?” Harley looks at Jon like she's never seen him before. “You think _Nightwing_ is funny.”

“Oh, you missed the worst of it,” Oswald said cheerfully to the tiny blonde. “You only came in when the third Boy Blunder was at work. Nightwing used to be _so much worse_.”

Harley stared at both him and Jon, who was nodding in agreement. “You have got to be kidding me,” she said finally. “You mean this is him being more restrained?”

“Yes,” Jon groaned. “When he first started...God.”

“Holy ex-fear-o-ments Batman!” Oswald parroted, before snickering.

Ivy blinked. “But you use the term ex-fear-o-ments,” she pointed out.

Oswald laughed harder. “Yes,” Jon said agreeably. “I do. Because everyone started calling them that. Because he said that onscreen to all of Gotham while I was trying to monologue. I still want to smack him for that, no matter how funny it actually is. My hostage started giggling instead of screaming.”

“Oh yes, poor baby,” Oswald snickers, and Jon just grumbles and stabs his shirt again.

~*~

Mr. Freeze and Bane walk in together, easily picking their way through the crowd of patrons and staff alike to the back table, where the unofficial Rouge Gallery Stitch 'n' Bitch is beginning to settle in, pulling out projects, and starting up conversations. They all blinked at the two new additions to their group, but didn't really question it, just let them slide into seats where they fit.

“So what do you two do then,” Oswald asked, sitting down in between Jon and Edward, having been dutifully informed by the girls and his boyfriend that he was joining their group.

“Tatting,” Bane answered shortly, pulling out a very delicate doily.

“Lace,” Ivy said, raising an eyebrow. “Not what I would have expected of you.”

Bane shrugged. “I like it.”

“Are those stuffed animals?” Harley was peering into Freeze's bag curiously. “Because those look like stuffed animals. Whatcha ya do with 'em?”

Freeze was blushing. “I donate them,” he mumbled. “To the hospital.” There was a lot of cooing. “It's not that impressive!”

“Yes it is,” Jon responded, through the straight pins he was currently holding between his teeth. “It's sweet. I like it.”

~*~

“So, I don't know how to make anything fabric-wise, but I can mix drinks and make snacks for you guys.” Clayface was blinking down at the group.

Oswald scowled before catching Edwards look and sighing. “You'll do, I suppose. Just for us though, you hear.”

The hug he received from Clayface made his back crack.

~*~

Two-Face is chatting with Harley about knitting patterns, and just how difficult socks are (as they only thing he makes, he should know). Ivy is mending Edward's suit jacket, and Jon is sewing a dress for Selina, who is fixing her whip. Oswald is fitting Bane for a hat as he and Jon talk about the latest bank robbery that wasn't the fault of anyone in the room. Everyone is hard at work. And thats when the Red Hood walks in the door.

Silence falls over the Lounge. It's a well founded silence. Everyone here knows that Hood is a bat, and that he's got no qualms about killing people. And he's holding a duffle bag that looks remarkably like the one that once held severed heads.

Eyes follow him as he stalks to the back of the room, and stops in front of Harley. There's a hiss as he removes his helmet, and reveals the domino mask beneath. “I heard that this was Stitch 'n' Bitch night. Got room for one more?”

Harley eyes him. “We spend most of our time complainin' 'bout Bats.”

Hood nods, and pulls up a chair. “Then you won't mind if I join in on the complaining?”

Everyone shakes their heads, and he nods. “Good.” Silently he unzips his duffle, and pulls out an unfinished macrame piece. “Because you will not believe what he's done this time.”

~*~

“Hood. I heard you were here.”

“RR!” The Red Hood grinned up at his younger brother from his seat beside Harley. “Come to bitch about B with the Rouges?”

There's silence. “Maybe.”

Jon snorts. “We all know that's why you're here. None of us have done anything, and you're carrying a hand loom.”

Hood raised an eyebrow behind his mask. “Plus you've got a sprained ankle. I didn't know you wove.”

Red Robin eyes him warily, before dropping onto the floor rather ungracefully. “I do many things. I just prefer weaving.” He leans back to rest of Hood's legs. “I enjoy it. I've got a floor loom back home though. I prefer that.”

“Of course you do,” Hood ruffles Red's hair fondly. “That just screams you.”

He glanced back up at the Rouges. “So, B, earlier this evening, in a moment of sheer stupidity, looks at Robin and says something along the lines of 'refuse to let you out,' and 'don't know what the rouges are up to,' and 'not enough training.' I thought Robin was going to run him through right there.”

“Everyone can see that that kid's got League training,” Oswald said, shaking his head. “Seriously where did you find him? Hell itself?” He leans forward. “Did the Joker give him to you?”

“A demon left him on the doorstep one day, because hell couldn't handle him,” Red Robin said dryly, and there was a moment of silence, before Ivy snorted.

“You can stay kid,” Harley said finally, watching her girlfriend break down laughing. “You can stay.”

She's rewarded for her kindness when Red Robin fucking beams at her. “Thanks,” he said happily.

~*~

“You're just all going to show up one day, aren't you,” Oswald says with a sigh the night Robin stalks in.

“Nightwing has shown me the art of needle felt,” the Boy Wonder announces. “I have come to mock Red Robin and Hood with my superior textile skills.”

His older brother blink at him. “ _Nightwing_ taught you needle felt,” Hood gaped.

“But he only makes lanyards,” RR muttered. “What's he doing teaching needle felt?”

“ _Superior. Skills._ ” Robin reiterates, and that's the end of that.

~*~

Batgirl and Black Bat come in together, sneaking in through the back, and joining RR on the floor, at Harley and Ivy's feet, respectively. Black Bat doesn't say much, and remains wary, but the Rouges decide that she's their new favourite anyway. They call her BB, and ruffle her short hair affectionately, and chime in with advise while Batgirl teaches her to crochet. 

They're starting to feel this way about all of the batkids, if they're being honest. They smother RR with hugs and complements, mock Red Hood's helmet. They arm wrestle Robin, and tell knock knock jokes with Batgirl. And they all complain about Batman. But it's nice. It's _really_ nice.

~*~

RR and Hood hadn't been joking when they said that Nightwing only made lanyards. He had done two already, and was working on a third, while berating his brothers.

(RR had presented a lovely pillow to Hood that had the words 'Dearest brother: pick up your fucking shoes I'm sick of tripping over them.' embroidered on it. Hood had retaliated with a matching pillow that read 'Beloved Baby Bird: I do what the fuck I want.')

Naturally, Nightwing was not pleased by this. “Can you two just be nice, for once in your lives,” he was snapping. “Do you have to be passive aggressive towards one another?”

“Yes,” Red Robin said calmly.

“It's how we show affection,” Hood cheerfully tacked on, eyeing his brother's lanyards warily. “Nightwing...”

Nightwing was finishing off his third lanyard as she looked his brother straight in the eye. Hood backed down. Red Robin was inspecting the lanyards. “I'm not certain that this qualifies as a talent.”

Hood shot him a look, even as Robin began to look murderous. “Seriously baby bird? This long rectangle is better than anything I've ever done.”

Nightwing smiled. “Thanks Hood. But really, the artistry in the needlepoint, no matter how ridiculous that thing was, was gorgeous.”

“Naw, lookit this thing,” Hood held up the lanyard he had been examining. “You've managed to put little bats into it. I don't even know how you did it.”

The Rouges were starting to realise just what the family dynamic was.

~*~

“You've got a tail, I see,” Selina noted as she stepped out of her apartment to join him on the walk to the Lounge.

“He's not a subtle as he likes to think,” Harvey agreed, offering her his arm. “At least, not with us. I think he's just confused. After all, we haven't done anything lately, and we're all out.”

Selina hummed in agreement before changing topics. “Did you bring cat food? I really do want to help the strays. They deserve some love.”

Harvey held up the bag on his other arm so that she could see. “You shouldn't worry too much. I ran into Harley buying something like seventeen cans.”

“Well, good. That girl needs some love. I know she has Ivy, but still.”

“A match made in heaven, huh,” Harvey remarks. “Some stray cats befriending a stray psychologist, who initially befriended a stray botanist.”

“As long as it works,” Selina hummed, noting the shadows move ever so slightly as she opened the door to the Lounge.

Harvey noted the same thing, and rolled his eyes. “He's in for a shock,” he muttered, before stalking in, and yelling out “Would the children in the room please control their father?”

Selina smirked as the batkids heads all shot up. “We've got a guest,” she announced, and then frown as Red Robin paled. “RR?”

“We ah, had an issue last night,” Nightwing muttered. “We're fixing it, but there's still some tension.” He glances at his younger brother. “Stay. I'll go head him off.”

Red Robin drew in a shaky breath, and nodded, settling down in his usual spot. He glanced over at Batgirl and Black Bat. “How was your date?”

Both women glanced at each other, and then up at Harley and Ivy, who had been trying to set them up for ages now. “It was good,” Batgirl said carefully, just as Harley started in on the fact that the girls were in a relationship without actually telling anyone.

Selina snorted, and sat down, but not before ruffling Red Robin's hair. It was going to be a long night.

~*~

Harley was in a circle of cats when the batkids finally showed up the next week. The other rouges looked up – the kids were late, after all.

“We brought cookies!” Nightwing called out cheerfully.

“And an overprotective parent,” Batgirl laughed, and the Rouges all looked behind the kids to where, sure enough, the goddamn Batman himself as sulking.

The kids sit down cheerfully. The Rouges all blink. Batman scowls. Harley rolls her eyes, gets up from where she's been covered with kittens, and drags Batman into sitting down with her. “If you're going to stay, you may as well learn something. C'mon, let's teach you how to knit.” Batman scowls some more, but catches the look on Ivy's face, before he sighs, and nods in acquiescence.

The other rouges glance at each other. This is going to change _everything._

~*~

“So,” Selina began later, as they perched on the roof of WE. “How'd they talk you into letting them stay?”

Bruce grumbled something under his breath. Selina raised an unimpressed eyebrow, and he sighed. “Dick didn't sleep for four days. He made over 100 lanyards.”

Selina couldn't help it. She burst out laughing. “You must be so proud,” she said between giggles. “He's got your workaholic tendencies.”

It take a moment, but then, quietly, “I'm very proud,” Bruce says, and then he sighs again. “I just wish he'd put more effort into patrol.” A Selina promptly loses it again

When she calms down finally, all she can do is grin and say “At least he's not as old as you,” before taking off across the rooftops of Gotham, knowing for a fact that her friends are okay, that the batkids are safe, and that her lover is following close behind her.

**Author's Note:**

> Guess whose back!
> 
> Okay, yeah. It's me. I'm back again with some this, which is, in part, helped planned by crypticrose. Again. Um, so, this came out of the fact that I attend a Stitch 'n' Bitch in a comic book store. And then I made a comment about how funny it would be if the rouges had one of their own. And then she came back with invading batkids. And then is snowballed into what everyone would do. She even wrote out the passive aggressive needlepoint. Because she is the best.
> 
> Up next is an unmasking for the Rouges (and also some fun moments with Alfred). After that is the previously promised BirdFlash. And of course, as always, I take requests.
> 
> ~ Rose


End file.
